Enjoy walking in back of the houses on Sumner Loop; the residences’ back yards are below with short stairways down and garages across the street on the west side.

This downhill route from Presidio Blvd. at Simonds Loop (first #43 bus stop inside the park) took me past Lovers Lane (first pic: Lovers Lane in the foreground) and up the 38 steps (second pic) to the Main Post area across from Pershing Hall, soon to be renamed “Inn of San Francisco.”

Built in 1903, this Georgian Revival style building housed bachelor officers. When it reopens in 2012 it’ll have 22 guest rooms, a guest lounge, several meeting rooms, and a dining room.

The trailhead for the Ecology trail is directly behind this building. Further along this shady, popular dog-walking trail, the area down to El Polin Springs is still fenced off due to construction. The completion date for this huge project is around late fall of this year.

Around and up to Inspiration Point Overlook: 45 steps (third photo). There’s now a trail marker at the top of these curvy wood steps.